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Before this game, Bristol City boss Lee Johnson – son of Cheltenham Town manager Gary – had warned his father that his side would “do well to keep it down to four” against Newcastle United.

Let’s hope he was referring to the scoreline, and not the injury count because the home side appeared to drop like flies against their League Two opponents.

If you look at the headline statistic alone, this appears to have been a routine second-round EFL Cup night for Newcastle against a team ranked 90th in the Football League.

But the scoreline alone belies the concerning truth of the matter; and it also fails to highlight just how controversial an evening at St James’ Park this really was.

Yes a bloodied Ayoze Perez may have netted either side of the interval, but he was one of two United forwards to sport a Terry Butcher-esque bandage – and one of four Magpies to require treatment during the win over Cheltenham.

Three – Rolando Aarons, substitute Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic , just 35 minutes into his return – were even forced to leave the field.

Worryingly, Mitrovic and Gayle appeared to complain of double vision and, should either have concussion, then they will definitely be ruled out of Saturday’s Championship clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Rafa Benitez was visibly frustrated on the touchline by what he perceived to be an overly aggressive manner from the visitors, while Robins boss Gary Johnson also had complaints of his own.

Perez’s sublime opener in first-half stoppage time arrived just as he returned on to the pitch after being bandaged up; Johnson was adamant he had entered the field illegally and that the goal should not have stood.

As far as the football itself was concerned, Benitez promised to take the cup seriously, but also admitted he would continue his squad-rotation policy – and he did just that with eight changes to his line-up.

Jesus Gamez was handed his Newcastle debut – the Spaniard has struggled for fitness since signing but was given the opportunity to impress – while Jamie Sterry also made his first competitive start and Mitrovic returned following suspension.

Interestingly, Karl Darlow was also given his first start of the campaign; Matz Sels was brought in this summer and has usurped the former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper as No 1 but he was allowed this EFL Cup second-round tie to stake his claim.

It was former Gateshead forward Danny Wright who should have given the visitors a 20th-minute lead.

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Newcastle switched off at the back, the Robins forward ghosted unmarked to the back post and, 10 yards out, horribly sliced a volley across the six-yard box when unmarked.

It was a let-off for United, who soon lost Aarons to an unfortunate injury; Yoan Gouffran, who could still leave Newcastle during this window, was the man to replace the young winger after he was stretchered off.

United were then dealt a second injury blow when Mitrovic was caught in the face by a stray Cheltenham arm when attempting to clear a cross in his own box.

He lasted for about five minutes before walking over to the sideline gesturing that he had blurred vision; in-form Gayle was the man to replace the Serbian.

Perez then found himself getting a bandage placed his head after receiving a cut to the ear.

The referee had ordered the Spaniard off the field for treatment and, literally just after returning on to the pitch looking like Terry Butcher in 1989, Perez saw a shot deflect into his path and he curled a brilliant effort into the far corner.

It was a beautiful strike, but it led Cheltenham boss Johnson to complain that Perez had not re-entered the field on the halfway line.

Newcastle fans didn’t care though – and the Magpies went in at the break ahead.

And, pretty much as soon as the second half had started, it was as good as game over.

Easah Suliman, under very little pressure, played a horrible pass towards his goal which Gayle ghosted in to pick up.

One on one with the goalkeeper, Gayle could easily have shot himself, but instead squared to Perez to simply pass the ball into an empty night.

A few minutes later, Gayle was then fitted with a bandage of his own of his own on a night which was dominated by injuries.

The substitute himself soon went off too, appearing to complain that he was suffering from double vision and that meant that United had used all three replacements before the hour mark.

Mo Diame came close to adding a third in the 63rd minute when, after weaving his way into the box, his shot sneaked under Russell Griffiths in the Cheltenham goal, only for a Robins defender to hook it clear.

Seconds later, Vurnon Anita then headed a wonderful Gamez cross past the far post when he should have scored.

Perez was denied a hat-trick when he met a Jack Colback corner at the back post as United moved into cruise control in the final half hour of the game.

The Spaniard then wasted another glorious opportunity to complete his treble; played through by Jonjo Shelvey, he curled an effort over the bar.

For Newcastle, this was far from a routine EFL Cup second-round win.

In fact, this night could prove to be extremely damaging injury-wise.

Let’s wait and see if this convinces Benitez to dip into the transfer market and add more than just DeAndre Yedline and Alan Judge to his squad in the coming days...